Improvement



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. 'sIIEEwIN, oE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.Y

-IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINATION EXTNSIN-MEASURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent BT04149532, dated April 7, 1874; application filed January/9, 1874. l Y

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMEs T. SI-IERWIN, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State yof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Extension-Measures, and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in Which- Figure'l is a transverse section of measure. Figs. 2, 3, 4., and 5 are detail views, showing catches and springs. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan, showing angle-indicator drawn out. Fig. 7 is an isometrical perspective, and Fig. 8 isa plan of measure extended.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved extension-measure, which shall be adapted to various uses, and by which the length or other dimensions of bodies or spaces may be more easily ascertained than by any device heretofore produced for the same purpose. This measure is composed of a series of sections, two or more, united by a dovetail tongue and groove, and adapted to being slid in and out. Upon these sections are marked figures or numerals, so arranged that the ascertained length will be found indicated upon the lowest section, at a point coincident with the adjacent end of the next section, as hereinafter more fully described.

Combined with the measure are a registerin g-tablet, a spirit-level, and an angle-indicator.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A, B, C, and D represent the several sliding sections of my improved extension-measure, the number of which may be increased, if desired. The sections A, B, and G are equal in Width and length, and are formed with dovetailed tongues and grooves a b b c c', the section D, which is as long but not as wide as the other sections, sliding in said groove c. e represents stops, by which the sections are prevented from sliding in one direction, say to the left; and f f are spring-catches and notches, by which said sections are kept from coming apart when they reach the limit of their extension in the opposite direction. g represents orifices, by which access is had to these catches for the purpose of depressing them, so as to allor the sections to be taken apart when desired or necessary. In order to give greater firmness or rigidity to the sections when extended, and at the. same time to allow them to slide easily upon one another, I employ side springs, consisting of a plate, h, secured to the tongue or side ofthe groove by pins. h1, and re-enforced by an india-rubber cushion or pad, h2. l

The arrangement of the figures or numerals is as follows:

The section D is numbered 1,2, Sto., increasing to the left up to 10. The section C takes up the table of figures where D leaves oif, increasing from ll to 18, the increase, however, being in the opposite direction, viz., from the left to the right, as indicated by the arrows. The figures on the sections A and B are arranged similarly to those on section G, increasing from left to right, section B beginning with 19 and ending with 26, and section A commencing with 27 and iinishing with 34, the full length of the measure. Section B begins with 19, the same number that C leaves off with, while section A commences with 27, the next number above that with which B ends, the reason being that the upper or right end of B is lapped by the adjacent extremity of f section C for the space of two inches, while the right or upper end of section C is not so lapped. By this arrangement of figures, when the measure is drawn out any distance its exact length will be found indicated on the lower section at the line where the supeijacent section terminates, it being understood that the upper section or sections must be drawn out fully before sliding out any of the sections beneath. Thus, the sections being all together, as shown in Fig. 7, section D is slid out any distance. lThe whole length of the measure thus extended is found indicated on the section C at the point where the adjacent end of the section D stops. Thus, if section D be drawn out until its end coincides with the cross-lineV at l5 on section C, the number just named will be the length of the measure. If section D be drawn out fully, the cross-line at l0 on said section will register with the similar line at 1S on section C. The length of the measure thus extended is eighteen inches, and will be found correctly indicated at the end of said extended section on the subjacent section C. With the aid of this arrangement a party using the instrument can ascertain without the necessity of any computation the length of an object measured. Thus, to ascertain the height of a ceiling, the operator places the end of the measure upon the floor, and extends the sections one after another, the outer one rst and the others in succession. When the outer end of the first section, as D in the drawing, reaches the ceiling, the distance measured will be found indicated at the end of the last-extended section on the section subjacent thereto. In the drawing, in Fig. 8,

, the sections Gand B are drawn only partially out, so that the length indicated on section A, say thirty-two inches, is not correct. To make the measure thirty-two inches long, section B should be drawn out ,until its end coincides with the cross-line of 26 on section O. 0n theleft-hand side or margin of the measure is a series of gures, running consecutively from the upper or right end of section G to the lower or left end of section A. This series has no especial value except when measuring distances much longer than the measure, and

when the length of the instrument has to be taken many times, as a rod or pole. E is an inlaid tablet, of porcelain or other similar ma-l terial, for recording distances measured; and F, a spirit-level, which will be found a useful addition to the instrument. G represents an angle-indicator, consisting of a pivoted plate, which may be closed into a groove or recess in the section A. In taking measurements for shelving, Sie., the angle of the corners of rooms, &c., can be ascertained by the aid of this indicator, which should be slotted, as represented at g', to enable it to determine obtuse angles with accuracy. To use the indicator, place the measure against one of the walls forming the corner, and then adjust the plate G in line with the other wall.

What I claim as my invention is- The extension-measure composed of sliding sections, as described, provided with the spring-catches f and notches ff, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of January, 1874. y

l JAMES T. SHERWIN. Witnesses GEO. C. SHELMERDiNE, M. DANI.. CONNOLLY. 

